The pressure on Logica was clear for all to see. Despite a much improved run of form since Christmas, they still need to win most of their remaining games to stand a realistic chance of survival. And against a 10-man Deportivo side, there was just enough moments of quality to outweigh the nervous mistakes, with Logica picking up three more crucial points courtesy of a late winner.

Unusually, the preparation for this game was exemplary. The team (minus the mapless of course) were going through a very professional drill of warm-up exercises by 10 o'clock. The players appeared focused on the task in hand, and there was an added edge this morning. As well as the obvious need to win, a league Mandarin was refereeing the match and would be assessing the ability of both teams. When next season's Divisions are drawn up, it is these assessments that play a big part in deciding whether those teams hovering around the relegation zones are left where they are or sent down. So it was important to put on a good display as well as winning.

Typically, after such prompt preparation, ten Galicians finally emerged from the dressing room some 50 minutes later, and Logica's build-up was in severe danger of going flat. Efforts to reinvigorate themselves as the game kicked off only seemed to result in a frenzy of 100 mph football, with little pattern or controlled possession prevalent in the opening period.

With the team still trying to establish a passing game that would exploit their numerical advantage, they did at least create a chance from one of 's trademark long throws. had stolen behind the Galician backline in anticipation, but as he tried to turn a first time shot goalwards, the advancing keeper got half a touch, enough to enable him to scurry back and pounce safely on the rolling ball.

In the face of a strong wind, Logica were struggling to deal with the occasional Deportivo raid. When a long ball picked out an isolated forward, he somehow managed to bull-doze his way through three Logica challenges. As the ball rebounded into the penalty area, strode across to deal with the danger. A sliding tackle seemed to have made contact with the ball, even if the strong challenge had taken some leg too. The referee, however, had no doubts and pointed immediately to the spot, prompting disbelief from the Logica skipper. 's dive did get a finger-tip to a well-struck penalty, but he could not keep it out [0-1].

At least this shock seemed to galvanise Logica into some more purposeful football. Almost straight from the restart they struck back with a well-crafted equaliser. was the architect with a neat slide-rule pass to play clear in the box. As the keeper advanced, the Leeds midfielder squared an excellent low cross which had anticipated and slid home past the despairing dive of a defender for his sixth goal of the season [1-1].

Suddenly Logica seemed to grasp what was required, as some sharp passing created a succession of chances. First fed out left, and his early pass beyond the last man was straight into the path of a great run by from deep. The midfielder took the ball wide of the keeper, only to see his shot cannon back off a post. returned the compliment with a visionary cross from the left touch-line that picked out at the far post, but the striker's header flew wide.

was adding some assured touches down the left flank. A quick pass from gave him the chance to stretch his legs. A hurried half-clearance left the keeper in no-man's land, but 's first time effort from 30 yards sailed the wrong side of the post. Soon pounced on a loose ball wide on the right-hand side of the box, and again the Galician number one was racing from his line. The striker dummied the keeper and his cross from the bye-line picked out at the back stick. The tall midfielder won the aerial battle with a firm header that was dipping under the bar until a desperate leap from a defender on the line glanced the ball up onto the bar and over.

Despite these chances, there were still enough moments of frailty and indecision from Logica to keep the home fans at the Stade d'Ilea on the edge of their seats. Deportivo's left-winger reached the bye-line far too many times, but somehow Logica defenders managed to clear his crosses with varying degrees of assurance. And the Galicians really should have retaken the lead when could only parry a shot from the edge of the box that bounced awkwardly in front of him. The ball fell to an unmarked Deportivo player, who fortunately for Logica blazed the rebound high.

Playing with a strong wind in the second half, Logica sought to assert their authority. Instead a dishevelled opening period saw Deportivo too easily win loose balls and tackles, and once again the frustration began to mount. The visitors forced a number of corners, and their strong, skilful, lone striker was causing the Hatton brothers some genuine problems. A typical break saw him hold off a challenge and cut back inside only to screw his low shot a yard wide.

Logica seemed to have forgotten the simple passing that had created their chances in the first period. But almost with their first convincing move after the break, they took the lead for the first time. sent clear from half-way with a smart back-heel, and the left-winger had reached the edge of the box when a desperate sliding tackle put the ball out for a throw. took it himself quickly, and took the ball and turned in one move to chip a precise cross to at the far post. The unmarked Yorkshireman controlled the ball on his chest and fired home a well-controlled shot from eight yards into the far corner [2-1].

This should have given Logica the confidence to go and play some football, but instead mistakes were frequent and the Galicians, and their excellent forward in particular, continued to cause problems. The home side did manage to carve out several good chances in occasional moments of cohesive play. sprung with a diagonal ball past the last man, but the unselfish option to square to an unmarked failed when a weak ball was cut out by a defender. did superbly well to chase a floated free-kick and fire a blistering volley from an acute angle which the keeper did equally well to block bravely with his midriff. Then a up-and-under was caught by the wind and bounced back off a post.

Logica's unconvincing performance continued to give Deportivo hope, and even the introduction of substitutes and did not change the balance of the game significantly. With 13 minutes left, the Galicians forced a bizarre equaliser that punished Logica's tendency for unforced errors. had thrown the ball out to left-back , but a lack of both options and haste saw possession conceded. The ball was played into the box as moved across to mop up. But the captain was aghast to see his clearance ping back off a Galician shin and roll into the net just beyond the reach of [2-2].

Logica now had a battle on their hands as they frantically chased a third goal and the victory they so badly needed. Pressure was applied, but a series long throws and corners came to nothing. came closest to scoring when he controlled yet another long throw, and turned dexterously past his marker only to fire inches the wrong side of the post.

The aging striker had been imploring his team-mates throughout the game to play with their heads, and as time ran out he managed to finally practice what he had been preaching, although not quite in the way that he had intended. Rather than a patient, passing, build-up, simply wellied a long, towering clearance from inside his own half. was quickest to react and chased into the box. As the ball bounced high, the striker not renowned for his aerial ability sprung salmonically to get his head on the ball a fraction of a second before the leaping keeper's fist, and his flicked header rolled on into the empty net [3-2].

The home side could have added a fourth shortly afterwards, when blasted a ball over from close range after a shot had fallen to him via .

And so a long and winding road to three vital points had been clinched in route-one style. Logica had looked unconvincing at times but had found just enough quality to edge past a plucky Deportivo side. They say it is never easy playing against ten men, but Logica will have to show a marked improvement if they are to take three more essential points from what is likely to be a full complement of Galicians in a fortnight's time.